Auction 60: Lower 700 MHz Band

Event	Date
Pre-Auction Seminar	5/24/2005
Form 175 (Short Form) Application Filing Window Opens	5/24/2005; 12:00 noon ET
Form 175 (Short Form) Application Filing Deadline	6/3/2005; 6:00 pm ET
Upfront Payments Deadline	6/30/2005; 6:00 pm ET
Mock Auction	7/18/2005
Auction Start	7/20/2005
Auction Closed	7/26/2005

Licenses Offered

Auction No. 60 included five CMA licenses in the Lower 700 MHz band C block (710-716/740-746 MHz). This auction included five C block licenses in Puerto Rico that remained unsold in Auction No. 49, which closed on June 13, 2003. The C block is a 12-megahertz block consisting of a pair of 6-megahertz segments.
A complete list of licenses for Auction No. 60 and their descriptions is provided in Attachment A of Public Notice DA 05-737.

Permissible Operations

Flexible fixed, mobile, and broadcast uses, including mobile and other digital new broadcast operations, fixed and mobile wireless commercial services (including FDD- and TDD-based services), as well as fixed and mobile wireless uses for private, internal radio needs. Could also include two-way interactive, cellular, and mobile television broadcasting services.

License Period

License expiration date is January 1, 2015, for Lower 700 MHz band licenses. This expiration date was set for eight years after the earliest date that incumbent broadcasters may be required to vacate the Lower 700 MHz band. For licensees that elect to commence new broadcast operations prior to January 1, 2007, their renewal deadline will be set at the end of an eight-year term following commencement of such broadcast operations. All licensees meeting the substantial service requirements will be deemed to have met renewal expectancy regardless of which construction options the licensee chooses.

Bidding Credit

Bidding credits were available to small and very small businesses and entrepreneurs or consortia thereof, (as defined in 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.2110(f), 27.702 ). A bidding credit represents the amount by which a bidder’s winning bids are discounted. The size of the bidding credit depends on the average annual gross revenues for the preceding three years of the bidder, its affiliates, its controlling interests, and the affiliates of its controlling interests:

A bidder with attributed average annual gross revenues that exceed $15 million and do not exceed $40 million for the preceding three years (“small business”) receives a 15 percent discount on its winning bids.
A bidder with attributed average annual gross revenues that exceed $3 million and do not exceed $15 million for the preceding three years (“very small business”) receives a 25 percent discount on its winning bids.
A bidder with attributed average annual gross revenues that do not exceed $3 million for the preceding three years (“entrepreneur”) receives a 35 percent discount on its winning bids.

Bidding credits are not cumulative; a qualifying applicant receives the 15 percent, 25 percent or the 35 percent bidding credit on its winning bid, but only one credit per license.

Tribal Land Bidding Credit

There are no tribal lands within Puerto Rico, the geographic area covered by the licenses offered in this auction. Therefore, tribal lands bidding credits are not available to winning bidders in Auction No. 60.

Incumbents

Bidders are reminded that there are a number of incumbent broadcasters already licensed and operating on frequencies that will be subject to the upcoming auction. 698-746 MHz licensees in accordance with the Commission’s Rules must protect such incumbents from harmful interference. These limitations may restrict the ability of such geographic area licensees to use certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum or provide service to certain regions in their geographic license areas.

Licensing Rules

47 C.F.R. Part 27
Additional regulatory requirements may apply in the event that a licensee chooses to offer new broadcast services.

Releases P

8/5/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-2239)
Auction of Lower 700 MHz Band Licenses Closes; Winning Bidders Announced for Auction No. 60
The WTB announces the winning bidders for Auction No. 60 along with information concerning down payments, final payments, refunds and other filings.

7/13/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-1982)
Lower 700 MHz Band License Auction; Five Bidders Qualified to Participate in Auction No. 60
The WTB Identifies Five Applications Found to be Qualified to Bid in the Upcoming 700 MHz C Block Auction No. 60 Scheduled to Begin July 20, 2005.

6/22/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-1694)
Auction of Lower 700 MHz Band Licenses; Status of FCC Form 175 Applications to Participate in Auction No. 60
Commission announces the status of nine short-form applications filed to participate in the upcoming auction of five licenses in the Lower 700 MHz band C block scheduled to begin on July 20, 2005. (Auction No. 60)

6/6/2005
ERRATUM (DA 05-1606)
Erratum - Auction of Lower 700 MHz Band Licenses Scheduled for July 20, 2005
Notice and Filing Requirements, Minimum Opening Bids, Upfront Payments and Other Auction Procedures
See Release DA 05-737

6/3/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-1554)
Due Diligence Announcement for the Upcoming Auction of Licenses in the Lower 700 MHz Band Scheduled for July 20, 2005
See Release DA 05-737

5/24/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-1498)
Auction of Lower 700 MHz Band Licenses (Auction No. 60) Scheduled for July 20,2005; Revised Upload Instructions for FCC Form 175 Ownership Disclosure Data
WTB announces revised procedures for uploading ownership disclosure data in the Integrated Spectrum Auction System (ISAS) for Auction No. 60 scheduled to begin July 20, 2005. (Report No. AUC-05-60-C) (Auction No. 60).

5/10/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-1294)
Auction of Lower 700 MHz Band Licenses Scheduled for July 20, 2005; Reminder: Pre-Auction Seminar May 24, 2005
Auction of Lower 700 MHz Band Licenses Scheduled for July 20, 2005; Reminder: Pre-Auction Seminar May 24, 2005

3/22/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-737)
Auction of Lower 700 MHz Band Licenses Scheduled for July 20, 2005; Notice and Filing Requirements, Minimum Opening Bids, Upfront Payments and Other Auction Procedures
The WTB announces the procedures and minimum opening bid amounts for the upcoming Lower 700 MHz Band C Block Auction No. 60 scheduled for July 20, 2005.
See Erratum DA 05-1606
See Due Diligence DA 05-1554

1/26/2005
Public Notice (DA 05-171)
Auction of Lower 700 MHz Band Licenses Scheduled for July 20, 2005; Comment Sought on Reserve Prices or Minimum Opening Bids and Other Procedures for Auction No. 60
The WTB announces the auction of five licenses in the Lower 700 MHz band, block C (710-716/740-746) to commence July 20, 2005.

Releases L

10/31/2006
LETTER (DA 06-2159)
Final Bid Withdrawal Payment for Auction No. 49, McBride Spectrum Partners II, LLC

10/31/2006
LETTER (DA 06-2177)
Final Bid Withdrawal Payment for Auction No. 49, Viacel Corporation

No results here for this auction.

Auction Seminar

This seminar was held on May 24, 2005. You may view the presentations below.

Presentations

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Craig Bomberger, Associate Division Chief, Auctions & Spectrum Access Division (ASAD)

Pre-Auction Process
Lisa Stover, Auctions Marketing Specialist, ASAD
pdf - PowerPoint

Overview of Lower 700 MHz Band Rules and Due Diligence
Keith Harper, Engineer, Mobility Division
pdf - PowerPoint

Legal, Technical, Auction Rules and Payment Procedures

Electronic Filing of Form 175 and Overview of Auction Rules
Lisa Stover, Auctions Marketing Specialist, ASAD
Howard Davenport, Attorney, ASAD
Form 175 Screen Shot: pdf - PowerPoint

Wire Transfer & Payment Process
Gail Glasser, Financial Management Specialist, Auctions Accounting Group
pdf - PowerPoint

Auction Bidding Procedures

Overview of Auction Process & FCC Automated Auction System
Roy Knowles, Wireless Telecommunications Analyst, ASAD
pdf - PowerPoint

Post Auction Process

Payment and Filing Requirements
Lisa Stover, Auctions Marketing Specialist, ASAD
Linda Chang, Associate Chief, Mobility Division
pdf - PowerPoint

Auction 60: Lower 700 MHz Band

Summary

Fact Sheet

Auction Seminar

Education